Saturday, March 26, 2016

If you've happened to stumble across this blog and like what you see, you would do well to start at the very beginning and follow its progress. Just read the post and at the bottom click on Newer Post. Enjoy!

The Mountain Fire in 2013 destroyed almost 28,000 acres of forest in the San Jacinto area south of Idyllwild. It closed a section of the Pacific Crest Trail that nearly three years later has yet to reopen. It also burned several structures and has closed a significant part of the San Jacinto Wilderness area. I am grateful that I'd been able to hike in the area before the fire and saddened by the memory of what was lost. This is one of my favorite hikes I've ever done and I don't know when I'll be able to do it again, if ever. I know the mountain will recover one day. I only hope I'm around to see it.

I see Mount San Jacinto almost every day. I looms large on the Western Skyline of the Coachella Valley where I live. If I could live on it I would. But since it's mostly wilderness area I have to content myself with visiting and then returning home to the desert. Plus, it'd be too cold for my wife. Days spent hiking there are always memorable and although I've hiked it hundreds of time I still look forward to when I can get back there. This is one of my best days on the mountain.